The invention pertains to an article of footwear, and in particular to a user-replaceable sole therefor.
It was at one time much more commonplace than at the present time for an article of footwear to be repaired. At a time when labor was comparatively inexpensive, a pair of shoes could be re-soled and re-heeled at a small fraction of the cost of purchasing a new pair. Typically, a pair of shoes would be repaired several times.
Traditional shoes are still made, and repaired, in large numbers. However, the cost of repair relative to that of a new pair of shoes is much higher than previously.
Although xe2x80x9ctraditionalxe2x80x9d shoes vary to some degree, they are constructed in a fairly standard manner which facilitates repair. Typically, a shoe includes an upper, a platform, a sole and a heel; other features such as a lining and an inner sole may also be present. The platform provides the main support for the bottom of the foot, and the sole and heel simply function to protect the under side of the platform from wear.
On a new shoe, the sole usually extends beneath the platform for the entire length of the shoe. Sometimes, the rear potion of the sole functions as the heel although, a separate heel is usually present beneath the rear of the sole. The heel consists of at least one layer or lift of material. The lowermost layer which contacts the ground when a wearer is upright is, unexpectedly, known as the top lift.
Traditionally, the repair of a shoe can involve adding a new layer of material such as leather or rubber to that portion of the sole which normally contacts the ground and is most subject to wear; a worn top lift can be removed and replaced by a new one. Alternatively, a new through sole can be provided, replacing the previous sole over the entire length of the shoe. In this case, all the lifts making up the heel are removed to be replaced by new ones once the new through sole has been installed.
Stylistic aspects of footwear were traditionally determined at the point of manufacture, the user""s only option when selecting a different style or appearance being to select one pair of shoes in preference to another.
Present day shoes are configured with much more variation and manufactured by a greater variety of techniques than was formerly the case; frequently, they do not lend themselves to being easily repaired, and are treated as disposable.
While fashion and style has always been important in footwear, the appearance of the soles and heels is now often considered to be as important as the upper portion, both from an aesthetic point of view and for displaying a manufacturer""s mark or logo. Since the soles and heels are usually the first portions of a shoe to wear out, it would be advantageous for a manufacturer to provide a convenient and inexpensive means for a user to replace them. If a manufacturer could offer replacement soles in a variety of colors or designs, the user could choose a preferred replacement. The user might even consider rotating between different replacements for fashion purposes even when little or no significant wear has taken place.
Furthermore, the user may desire to change the style or appearance of the upper part of the shoe without the expense of purchasing an entirely new pair of shoes. It would be advantageous for such a user to provide for replacing the upper while retaining the sole.
The present invention pertains to a shoe having an easily releasable and replaceable outer sole. The outer sole removably engages a mid sole or platform, which is permanently attached to the upper of the shoe.
The user can separate the outer sole from the mid sole and substitute either one by a replacement. The substituted mid sole or outer sole can be identical to or different from the original, so long as it is compatible with the remaining portion of the shoe.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a user a readily installable replacement outer sole for an article of footwear, the original outer sole being readily removable by the user.
It is another object of the invention to provide the user with the option of substituting for the original outer sole a replacement outer sole identical to or different from the original outer sole, the particularly with a view to changing the color or aesthetic design.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide the user with the option of substituting for the original mid sole a replacement mid sole conforming with the outer sole, the replacement mid sole for example having an upper different from the original upper with respect to color and aesthetic design.
It is in particular an object of the invention to provide an article of footwear having an appearance which can be changed selectably by the user.